Since 2009, there has been a Red-tailed hawk nest on a window ledge at The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia. A live-feed camera allows thousands of people in the USA and around the world to watch the eggs hatch, and then observe the feeding and care of the young hawks until they fledge in mid June.
Despite losing two mates, T1 and T2, to accidents, the female, Mom, has remained in the area, and there are high hopes that she and her new partner, T3, will nest together in 2015.
Della Micah

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Happy hawks!

I'm pleased to report that both my foot and computer have maintained their recovery status this week. I have not visited the hawks in a couple of weeks, but hope to get down there in the next few days. The fourth heatwave of the summer here in Philadelphia finally broke a few days ago with some welcome rain and almost chilly temperatures in the high 60s and low 70s.

Despite the brutal heat, dedicated early morning hawkstalkers Carolyn Sutton and Shannon O'Donnell have provided daily updates and pictures of the hawks on the Franklin Hawkaholic Facebook page. To misquote Herodotus: "Neither rain, nor heat, nor humidity, nor gloom of sunrise, stays these hawkstalkers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

On July 14, a small group of hawk fans gathered for a picnic by the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Carolyn was presented with a most life-like white rat to commemorate her incredible efforts in being the main food dropper at the nest after losing Dad. Few people would have volunteered to fill their freezer with large numbers of frozen rats and mice, and then drive three times a day to the Franklin Institute to feed the hawks.

Scott Kemper

Though the three-a-day feedings soon tapered to two, it remained a huge commitment over several weeks. Carolyn is truly the hawks' fairy godmother this year.

The young hawks continue to thrive, and have adopted a new gathering spot - a pair of somewhat deformed and hacked pine trees behind the Parke Towne Place apartment buildings. These trees provide great perching spots, and are full of little birds hiding in the foliage of the vines.

Jennifer Wong

The hawks love perching here to survey good hunting opportunities.

Joe Debold

Joe Debold

Joe Debold

Sometimes there is immature squabbling for the best spot.

Scott Kemper

The young hawks' enthusiasm for hunting often puts them in great danger. They have learned that the grassy edges along the on and off-ramps of the expressway are full of their favorite rodents. Often their hunting swoops bring them perilously close to traffic. This driver fortunately braked in time....

Jennifer Wong

The juvies' foolhardy confidence leads them into some strange spots. This disused railway tunnel runs alongside the river. At least there is no traffic under here - just hawkstalkers!

Jennifer Wong

Jennifer Wong

Though their hunting skills improve daily, they still cry out for food in the hopes that the distant, but always watchful haggards will respond.

Both Mom...

Shannon O'Donnell

... and T2 usually appear somewhat indifferent...

Shannon O'Donnell

... to the strident food squawks from the juveniles.

Scott Kemper

And chasing Mom or T2 while squawking doesn't work either.

Scott Kemper

Somehow, though, the haggards communicate where their food drops can be found, and this lucky juvie feasts on a mouse it located in one of the ball field trees...

Scott Kemper

... while this one found a dead bird, which, judging from the flies, had been dead for a while.

Scott Kemper

The haggards do a marvelous job of balancing the demands for food with leaving them hungry enough to persist in trying to hunt. The young hawks HAVE to learn to catch their own food in order to survive when they migrate in the early fall. Hunger drives them to hunt, and each day, despite the pathetic food cries, they are successfully catching more food, and learning those essential hunting skills.

A fast-flying swallow tempts this juvie...

Scott Kemper

... but it knows it has no chance against such a nimble flier. Voles and rats in the grass are much slower and easier to catch.

Scott Kemper

The talons crush the prey to death, and some dry grass is caught up from the initial fierce pounce.

Scott Kemper

Then up to a firm, flat spot to begin eating what looks like a young rat.

Shannon O'Donnell

Scott Kemper

Bugs in the grass also provide a snack for a hungry hawk. All those talons for a tiny insect!

Scott Kemper

Here are some close-ups of said talons - primary hunting weapons whose owners are right at the top of the food chain.

Scott Kemper

George Lloyd

Kay Meng

Not all hunting expeditions are for "live" prey.... some just truly seem for fun! Once again, Scott Kemper was right on the spot, and this time caught The Slaying of the Soda Can. It started with a normal spying of prey and preparation for take-off.

Scott Kemper

The deadly launch...

Scott Kemper

Talons down...

Scott Kemper

... and in for the kill!

The soda can put up a good fight...

Scott Kemper

Umm... how do I get out of this slightly embarrassing situation?

Scott Kemper

Keep calm and carry on... killing the can.

Scott Kemper

Then make a graceful exit, looking purposeful...

Scott Kemper

... and deadly.

Scott Kemper

These small grassy meadows and parks that are their hunting grounds are surrounded by the urban paraphernalia of the sixth largest city in the United States. In addition to their acceptance of humans in their environment, they have also adapted marvelously to the variety of perches available from which to look out over the landscape.

While there are plenty of traditional, simple tree perches right in the heart of Center City...

Scott Kemper

... the hawks also choose many highly technical, if not downright dangerous perches.

Scott Kemper

The scaffolding of billboards provide great look-outs...

Joe Debold

... as well as comfy spots to kick back and rest one's talons.

Jennifer Wong

The rail yards nearby also provide high spots from which to survey the ground below for rats and other vermin.

Scott Kemper

And the broken goal post on the ball field near the Art Museum has been a favorite spot for a couple of years now.

Shannon O'Donnell

Of course, lamp poles are always popular... at sunrise especially,

Scott Kemper

... as well as later in the morning.

Jennifer Wong

It's hard to believe that there is much to hunt in the middle of Eakin's Oval in front of the Art Museum, but several times a summer, a hawk will proudly perch atop George Washington's hat!

Carolyn Sutton

And as one hawkaholic observed about the image below, "You can't make this stuff up!"

Scott Kemper

The wonderful photographers who generously allow me to use their images in this blog have captured some breathtaking shots of the young hawks in flight. Here Joe Debold gets the whole sequence from lift off to full flight when the juvenile left the scaffolding on the billboard.

Joe Debold

Joe Debold

Joe Debold

Joe Debold

Scott Kemper is a master of the perfect plumage shot, whether landing...

Scott Kemper

... with pantaloons catching air...

Scott Kemper

...or taking off.

Scott KemperA bonus in the image above is the expression on the other hawk's face as it watches its sibling get airborne!

In one of this summer's rare rain showers, you can see the water drops beading up on the feathers, showing how weatherproof is a hawk's plumage.

Scott Kemper

Scott is also great at catching hawk silhouettes - a riveting confluence here of nature and industry at sunrise.

Scott Kemper

Here are some other particularly expressive images...

Flexible...

Joe Debold

Handsome...

Joe Debold

High maintenance...

Joe Debold

Pensive...

Joe Debold

Finally, here is a video treat from Pamela Dimeler taken on Thursday morning, July 19. Pam followed one of the juveniles who was perching in a tree alongside the Schuylkill river. It then flew down and pounced on a pine cone in the grass and played with it for quite some time. The lack of mantling seems to indicate that the hawk knew from the start that though it had not caught prey, it had snagged a most entertaining object.

The hawk was loath to leave its pine cone, and flew with up with it into a nearby tree - unusual behavior. It then tried eat it - perhaps pecking out some insects - and almost tumbled out of the tree trying to keep hold of it. Pam then followed the hawk as it flew from tree to tree, eventually landing in a pine tree (5.09) from which it launched a successful hunt, capturing a large vole in the grass.

After devouring the vole, the juvenile bounced around the tree balancing precariously on thin, wobbly branches until a passing train's whistle startled it into flight. Great job, Pam!

Thank you all so much for the pictures and the wonderful entertaining and educational blogs. It has been so exciting watching these birds from the time their nest was being prepared. I have learned so much and have such respect for these animals. Thank you again.

Hi Shelley, So glad that you're enjoying the blog. It has been a learning experience for us all as we have followed this nest for the last few years. I knew NOTHING about Red-tail hawks when I first encountered the nest-cam. Now, they are just about a way of life!! They are certainly a metaphor for selfless, firm parenting!

Your entertaining and perceptive words, with the photographers' exceptional captures make this such a great blog. Thank you all again for bringing to us a well-rounded glimpse of your (our) FI Hawk family. All the way out here in California, I still consider them my RTs, too.

After the recent sad news regarding the Central Park Hawks, it is wonderful to see these beautiful hawks looking so healthy and vibrant. Thanks to you and to the photographers for your time and effort. Much appreciated.

Della, wonder if you would hazard a guess, I keep finding hawk feathers around my building. I know there is a RT family nearby and saw a fledgling fly overhead the other morning. But so many feathers! Could the babies be losing feathers for some reason? Or the adults moulting? Just curious if you have any idea.bird_happy (from NYC)

This morning I saw a sad sight. At first I thought it was a dead pigeon, but realized it was too large. I don't know anything about ornithology, but it was a larger light brown bird with a long striped tail. I knew about the FI Hawks, and working on the 33rd floor in Center City we often see what we assume are the FI red-tails soaring around the buildings. Would the juveniles still have their stripes in mid-November or was it a different bird? Either way, it was sad to see. It was in a courtyard between 2 office buildings on 16th street (between JFK & Market) and the security guard was inspecting it closer than I. Very sad. I hope it didn't die from anything done by humans.

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Hawkwatch at the Franklin Institute

Della Micah

Grew up in the UK in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. Educated at Cambridge University (B.Ed). Have lived in the United States since 1978.
I work at Germantown Friends School in Philadelphia, PA as director of college guidance.